Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An apparatus comprising: a host device comprising at least one processor and an associated memory; the host device being configured to implement a plurality of processes each configured to access a shared region of the memory; the host device being further configured: to establish a multi-process control group for the shared region; to maintain state information for the multi-process control group; and to track usage of the shared region by the processes based at least in part on the state information; wherein the state information maintained for the multi-process control group comprises a current state selected from a plurality of possible states including at least the following states; a first state indicating that usage of the shared memory region has been properly assessed to respective ones of the processes and that no update to the usage tracking is needed; and a second state indicating that there has been at least one change necessitating an update to the usage tracking.
This invention relates to memory management in computing systems where multiple processes access a shared region of memory. The problem addressed is ensuring efficient and accurate tracking of memory usage across multiple processes to prevent conflicts, optimize performance, and maintain data integrity. The apparatus includes a host device with at least one processor and associated memory, where the host device implements multiple processes that access a shared memory region. The host device establishes a multi-process control group for the shared memory region and maintains state information for this control group. The state information tracks the usage of the shared memory by the processes, with the current state selected from a set of possible states. One state indicates that memory usage has been properly assessed for all processes, requiring no further updates to the tracking. Another state indicates that changes have occurred, necessitating an update to the usage tracking. This system ensures that memory access is monitored and managed dynamically, reducing the risk of errors and improving system efficiency. The apparatus may also include additional processes or components to further enhance memory management and coordination among the processes.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a subset of the processes comprise respective containers implemented utilizing operating system level virtualization of the processor of the host device.
This invention relates to a computing apparatus that manages and executes multiple processes using containerization techniques. The apparatus includes a host device with a processor and memory, where the host device runs an operating system that supports operating system-level virtualization. The apparatus further includes a container management system that deploys and manages containers, where each container encapsulates one or more processes. The containers are lightweight virtualized environments that share the host operating system kernel but run in isolated user space instances. The container management system dynamically allocates resources, such as CPU, memory, and network bandwidth, to the containers based on predefined policies or real-time demands. The apparatus may also include a monitoring system that tracks the performance and resource usage of the containers, allowing for adjustments to optimize efficiency. The invention addresses the challenge of efficiently running multiple processes in isolated environments without the overhead of traditional virtual machines, improving resource utilization and scalability. The use of operating system-level virtualization ensures that containers are portable and can be deployed across different host devices with minimal configuration changes. The apparatus may also include mechanisms for inter-container communication, security policies, and lifecycle management to ensure seamless operation of the processes within the containers.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multi-process control group established for the shared region comprises a coarse-grained control group having a granularity greater than a single page of the shared region.
The invention relates to a system for managing shared memory regions in a computing environment, particularly for optimizing resource allocation and control in multi-process applications. The problem addressed is the inefficiency of fine-grained memory management, which can lead to excessive overhead when multiple processes access a shared memory region. Traditional approaches often use page-level granularity, which may not be optimal for certain workloads. The apparatus includes a multi-process control group established for a shared memory region, where the control group is coarse-grained with a granularity larger than a single memory page. This means the control group manages memory in larger blocks rather than individual pages, reducing the overhead associated with tracking and controlling access at a finer level. The coarse-grained approach allows for more efficient resource allocation and better performance in scenarios where processes frequently access large contiguous regions of shared memory. The apparatus may also include a memory management unit configured to map the shared region into the address spaces of multiple processes, ensuring that the coarse-grained control group can effectively manage access across these processes. Additionally, the system may include a synchronization mechanism to coordinate access to the shared region, preventing conflicts and ensuring data consistency. The coarse-grained control group can be dynamically adjusted based on workload characteristics, allowing the system to adapt to changing resource demands. This approach improves efficiency by minimizing the overhead of fine-grained control while maintaining the benefits of shared memory access.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the host device is further configured to establish single-process control groups for respective ones of the processes with each such single-process control group being a fine-grained control group having a granularity equivalent to a single page of the shared region.
The invention relates to a system for managing memory access in a computing environment where a host device interacts with a memory-mapped device. The problem addressed is the need for fine-grained control over memory access permissions for processes sharing a memory region, particularly to prevent unauthorized access while maintaining efficient performance. The apparatus includes a host device configured to establish control groups for processes accessing a shared memory region. Each control group is associated with a specific process and enforces access permissions for that process. The host device further creates single-process control groups for individual processes, where each group has a granularity equivalent to a single page of the shared memory region. This allows precise control over memory access at the page level, ensuring that each process can only access the memory pages it is authorized to use. The system dynamically manages these control groups to enforce security policies while minimizing overhead, improving both security and performance in shared memory environments. The apparatus may also include a memory-mapped device that interacts with the host device, where the host device enforces access restrictions on the device's memory-mapped regions. The invention ensures that processes cannot access memory regions outside their assigned pages, preventing data leaks or unauthorized modifications.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multi-process control group specifies a plurality of characteristics of the shared region including one or more of the following: an allocated size of the shared region; a current paged-in size of the shared region; a current number of processes accessing the shared region; and a plurality of pointers to respective single-process control groups for the processes accessing the shared region.
This invention relates to a system for managing shared memory regions in a multi-process computing environment. The problem addressed is the need for efficient and coordinated control of shared memory regions when multiple processes access the same memory space, ensuring proper resource allocation, tracking, and synchronization. The apparatus includes a multi-process control group that governs a shared memory region accessible by multiple processes. This control group specifies several key characteristics of the shared region. First, it defines the allocated size of the shared region, determining the total memory space reserved for shared use. Second, it tracks the current paged-in size, indicating the portion of the allocated memory that is actively loaded into physical memory. Third, it maintains a count of the processes currently accessing the shared region, allowing the system to monitor and manage concurrent access. Finally, the control group includes pointers to individual single-process control groups, each associated with a process that is accessing the shared region. These single-process control groups manage the specific interactions of each process with the shared memory, ensuring proper synchronization and access control. By centralizing these characteristics in the multi-process control group, the system enables efficient coordination of shared memory usage across multiple processes, improving performance and resource management in multi-process environments.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the usage tracking comprises assessing usage of the shared region to each of the processes at least in part as a function of the current paged-in size divided by the current number of processes accessing the shared region.
This invention relates to memory management in computing systems, specifically optimizing the use of shared memory regions among multiple processes. The problem addressed is inefficient allocation and tracking of shared memory, which can lead to resource contention, performance degradation, or wasted memory space. The apparatus includes a shared memory region accessible by multiple processes and a usage tracking mechanism. The tracking mechanism evaluates how each process utilizes the shared region by calculating a ratio of the current paged-in size of the shared region to the current number of processes accessing it. This ratio provides a metric for assessing memory usage efficiency, helping to determine whether the shared region is being optimally utilized or if adjustments (such as resizing or reallocating memory) are needed. The apparatus may also include a memory allocation controller that dynamically adjusts the shared region's size based on the usage tracking results. For example, if the ratio indicates that the shared region is underutilized, the controller may reduce its size to free up memory. Conversely, if the ratio suggests high contention or insufficient capacity, the controller may expand the shared region or allocate additional resources. This approach improves system performance by ensuring that shared memory is allocated proportionally to actual demand, reducing fragmentation and contention while maximizing resource efficiency. The invention is particularly useful in multi-process environments where memory sharing is critical, such as in operating systems, virtualization, or distributed computing systems.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one change necessitating an update to the usage tracking comprises one or more of: an addition of a new process to the processes accessing the shared region; a deletion of an existing process from the processes accessing the shared region; and another type of change in at least one characteristic of the shared region.
This invention relates to a system for managing shared memory regions in a computing environment where multiple processes access the same memory space. The problem addressed is the need to efficiently track and update usage of shared memory regions when changes occur in the processes accessing them or in the characteristics of the memory itself. The apparatus includes a shared region of memory accessible by multiple processes and a tracking mechanism that monitors usage patterns. When a change necessitating an update to the usage tracking occurs, the system detects and processes the change. Such changes include the addition of a new process to those accessing the shared region, the removal of an existing process from the access list, or modifications to the shared region's characteristics. The tracking mechanism ensures that usage data remains accurate and up-to-date, allowing for efficient memory management and conflict resolution among processes. The system dynamically adjusts to changes in the shared memory environment, maintaining optimal performance and preventing access conflicts. This approach is particularly useful in multi-process systems where shared memory is a critical resource.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein another type of change in at least one characteristic of the shared region comprises one or more of: an addition of a new page to a plurality of pages of the shared region; and a deletion of an existing page from the plurality of pages of the shared region.
This invention relates to systems for managing shared regions in memory, particularly in distributed or multi-process environments where multiple entities access and modify shared data. The problem addressed is efficiently detecting and handling changes to shared regions, such as additions or deletions of pages within a shared memory structure, to ensure consistency and synchronization across different processes or systems. The apparatus includes a mechanism for monitoring a shared region in memory, where the shared region comprises multiple pages. The system detects changes in the shared region, including the addition of new pages or the deletion of existing pages. These changes are tracked to maintain accurate state information and ensure that all entities accessing the shared region are aware of modifications. The apparatus may also include components for notifying other systems or processes about these changes, allowing for coordinated updates and preventing conflicts. The invention is particularly useful in scenarios where shared memory is used for inter-process communication, distributed computing, or real-time data sharing. By detecting and managing page-level changes, the system ensures that all participants have a consistent view of the shared region, improving reliability and performance in collaborative environments. The solution is designed to be scalable and adaptable to various memory management systems and architectures.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of possible states further comprises at least one of the following states: a third state indicating that an update to the usage tracking is in progress; and a fourth state indicating that an immediate update to the usage tracking is needed.
This invention relates to an apparatus for managing usage tracking in a system, addressing the need for efficient and reliable monitoring of resource utilization. The apparatus includes a tracking module that monitors usage data and a state management module that controls the tracking process. The tracking module records usage metrics such as resource consumption, access frequency, or operational status, while the state management module ensures accurate and timely updates to this data. The apparatus supports multiple operational states to handle different tracking scenarios. A first state indicates that usage tracking is active and functioning normally, while a second state signifies that tracking is temporarily disabled. Additionally, the apparatus includes a third state that signals when an update to the usage tracking data is in progress, preventing conflicts or inconsistencies during the update process. A fourth state indicates when an immediate update is required, triggering a priority update to ensure data accuracy. The state management module dynamically transitions between these states based on system conditions, user inputs, or predefined rules. This ensures that usage tracking remains reliable and responsive, even under varying operational demands. The apparatus may be integrated into software systems, hardware devices, or networked environments where accurate usage monitoring is critical.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the usage tracking comprises assessing usage of the shared region substantially equally to each of the processes accessing the shared region.
This invention relates to a system for managing shared memory regions in a computing environment where multiple processes access the same memory space. The problem addressed is ensuring fair and efficient usage tracking of shared memory regions to prevent resource contention and improve system performance. The apparatus includes a shared memory region accessible by multiple processes and a usage tracking mechanism. The usage tracking mechanism monitors and assesses the usage of the shared region by each process accessing it. A key feature is that the usage is assessed substantially equally for each process, ensuring fairness in resource allocation. This equal assessment helps prevent any single process from monopolizing the shared memory, which could degrade overall system performance. The apparatus may also include a memory controller that manages access to the shared region, ensuring that processes adhere to the usage tracking rules. The usage tracking mechanism can generate metrics or logs to help system administrators monitor and optimize memory usage. The system may further include a synchronization mechanism to coordinate access among processes, preventing conflicts and ensuring data consistency. By assessing usage equally, the apparatus promotes balanced resource utilization, reduces contention, and enhances the efficiency of shared memory access in multi-process environments. This is particularly useful in systems where multiple processes compete for limited memory resources, such as in high-performance computing or real-time systems.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the usage tracking comprises assessing usage of the shared region to the processes in accordance with actual usage of the shared region by the processes.
This invention relates to a system for managing shared memory regions in a computing environment, particularly addressing the problem of efficiently tracking and allocating shared memory usage among multiple processes. The apparatus includes a shared region of memory accessible by multiple processes and a usage tracking mechanism that monitors how each process utilizes the shared region. The tracking mechanism assesses usage based on actual memory consumption by each process, rather than predefined allocations, ensuring fair and dynamic distribution of shared resources. The system may also include a memory allocation controller that adjusts access permissions or reallocates memory segments based on the tracked usage data, optimizing performance and preventing resource contention. Additionally, the apparatus may feature a process prioritization module that assigns higher priority to processes with critical memory needs, dynamically adjusting access rights to shared regions accordingly. The invention aims to improve memory management efficiency in multi-process environments by providing real-time, usage-based tracking and adaptive allocation strategies.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the usage tracking is implemented as a background thread executing on the processor of the host device.
A system for monitoring and managing resource usage in a computing environment, particularly for tracking and controlling the consumption of computational resources by applications or processes. The system addresses the challenge of efficiently monitoring resource usage without disrupting the performance of the host device, ensuring that resource-intensive tasks do not degrade overall system performance. The apparatus includes a processor on the host device that executes a background thread dedicated to tracking resource usage. This background thread operates independently of the primary applications or processes, allowing continuous and non-intrusive monitoring of resource consumption. The background thread collects data on resource usage, such as CPU cycles, memory allocation, or other computational metrics, and may enforce usage limits or generate alerts when predefined thresholds are exceeded. By running as a background process, the tracking mechanism minimizes its own impact on system performance while providing real-time insights into resource utilization. This approach ensures that resource management remains efficient and responsive, even in high-demand scenarios. The system is particularly useful in environments where multiple applications compete for limited computational resources, such as in cloud computing, virtualized systems, or multi-user devices.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the usage tracking is configured: to determine whether or not the multi-process control group is in the second state; responsive to an affirmative determination that the multi-process control group is in the second state: to calculate new assessments of usage of the shared region for respective ones of the processes; to provide the new assessments to respective single-process control groups of the respective processes; and to change the state of the multi-process control group from the second state to the first state.
This invention relates to resource management in computing systems, specifically for tracking and controlling usage of shared memory regions by multiple processes. The problem addressed is inefficient resource allocation and monitoring when multiple processes share a common memory space, leading to potential contention, performance degradation, or security risks. The apparatus includes a multi-process control group that manages a shared region of memory accessible by multiple processes. The control group operates in at least two states: a first state where usage tracking is inactive and a second state where usage tracking is active. When in the second state, the apparatus determines whether the multi-process control group is still in that state. If confirmed, it calculates new assessments of memory usage for each process, then provides these assessments to the respective single-process control groups managing each individual process. After updating the usage assessments, the state of the multi-process control group is changed back to the first state, deactivating further tracking until needed again. This dynamic adjustment ensures efficient monitoring and allocation of shared resources while minimizing overhead. The system helps prevent resource exhaustion, improves performance, and enhances security by ensuring accurate tracking of memory usage across multiple processes.
14. A method comprising: configuring a host device comprising at least one processor and an associated memory to implement a plurality of processes each configured to access a shared region of the memory; establishing a multi-process control group for the shared region; maintaining state information for the multi-process control group; and tracking usage of the shared region by the processes based at least in part on the state information; wherein the state information maintained for the multi-process control group comprises a current state selected from a plurality of possible states including at least the following states: a first state indicating that usage of the shared memory region has been properly assessed to respective ones of the processes and that no update to the usage tracking is needed; and a second state indicating that there has been at least one change necessitating an update to the usage tracking; and wherein the establishing, maintaining and tracking are performed by the host device.
This invention relates to memory management in computing systems where multiple processes share a common memory region. The problem addressed is efficiently tracking and managing memory usage across these processes to ensure accurate resource allocation and prevent conflicts. The method involves configuring a host device with at least one processor and associated memory to run multiple processes that access a shared memory region. A multi-process control group is established specifically for this shared region, allowing coordinated management of memory access. The system maintains state information for this control group, which includes tracking the current state of memory usage. The state information can be in one of several possible states, including a first state indicating that memory usage has been properly assessed and no further updates are needed, and a second state indicating that changes have occurred requiring an update to the usage tracking. The host device performs all operations, including establishing the control group, maintaining state information, and tracking memory usage based on this state data. This approach ensures efficient and accurate monitoring of shared memory access across multiple processes, reducing the risk of resource conflicts and improving system performance.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least a subset of the processes comprise respective containers implemented utilizing operating system level virtualization of the processor of the host device.
This invention relates to a system for managing and executing processes on a host device, particularly focusing on optimizing resource allocation and isolation through containerization. The technology addresses the challenge of efficiently running multiple processes on a single host device while ensuring security, performance, and resource management. The system involves deploying processes within containers that utilize operating system-level virtualization, allowing each container to operate as an isolated user-space instance with its own process space, network stack, and filesystem. This approach enhances security by preventing processes from interfering with each other and improves resource utilization by dynamically allocating CPU, memory, and storage based on demand. The containers are lightweight compared to traditional virtual machines, as they share the host operating system kernel while maintaining isolation. The system further includes mechanisms for monitoring and adjusting container resource allocations in real-time to optimize performance and prevent resource contention. By leveraging operating system-level virtualization, the invention enables efficient multi-tenancy on a single host device, making it suitable for cloud computing, microservices, and other distributed computing environments. The containers can be dynamically created, modified, or terminated based on workload requirements, ensuring flexibility and scalability.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the multi-process control group established for the shared region comprises a coarse-grained control group having a granularity greater than a single page of the shared region.
A method for managing shared memory regions in a computing system addresses the challenge of efficiently controlling access to shared memory while minimizing overhead. The method involves establishing a multi-process control group for a shared region of memory, where the control group has a coarse-grained granularity greater than a single memory page. This approach reduces the complexity and resource consumption associated with fine-grained memory management, particularly in systems where multiple processes access the same memory region. The coarse-grained control group allows for broader control over memory access, allocation, and monitoring, improving performance and scalability. The method may also include dynamically adjusting the granularity of the control group based on system conditions or workload requirements, ensuring optimal resource utilization. By grouping multiple processes under a single control mechanism, the system can enforce policies, track usage, and manage conflicts more efficiently, particularly in environments with high memory contention or complex access patterns. This technique is useful in virtualized systems, cloud computing, and multi-process applications where shared memory is a critical resource.
17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of one or more software programs, wherein the program code when executed by a host device comprising at least one processor and an associated memory causes the host device: to implement a plurality of processes each configured to access a shared region of the memory; to establish a multi-process control group for the shared region; to maintain state information for the multi-process control group; and to track usage of the shared region by the processes based at least in part on the state information; wherein the state information maintained for the multi-process control group comprises a current state selected from a plurality of possible states including at least the following states: a first state indicating that usage of the shared memory region has been properly assessed to respective ones of the processes and that no update to the usage tracking is needed; and a second state indicating that there has been at least one change necessitating an update to the usage tracking.
This invention relates to memory management in multi-process computing environments, specifically addressing challenges in tracking and managing shared memory regions accessed by multiple processes. The system involves a computer program product that implements a plurality of processes, each configured to access a shared region of memory. A multi-process control group is established for this shared region to coordinate and monitor memory usage across the processes. The system maintains state information for the control group, which includes tracking the current state of memory usage. The state information can indicate one of several possible states, including a first state where memory usage has been properly assessed and no further updates are needed, and a second state where changes have occurred that require updating the usage tracking. The system dynamically tracks memory usage based on this state information, ensuring efficient and accurate management of shared memory resources. This approach helps prevent conflicts and optimizes memory utilization in environments where multiple processes interact with the same memory region.
18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein at least a subset of the processes comprise respective containers implemented utilizing operating system level virtualization of the processor of the host device.
This invention relates to a computer program product for managing processes in a computing environment, particularly focusing on the use of operating system-level virtualization to enhance process isolation and resource efficiency. The technology addresses the challenge of securely and efficiently executing multiple processes on a host device, where traditional virtualization methods may introduce overhead or security risks. The invention involves a computer program product that includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions. When executed by a processor of a host device, these instructions perform a method for managing processes. The method includes receiving a request to execute a process, determining whether the process should be executed in a container, and if so, creating a container for the process using operating system-level virtualization. The container provides an isolated environment for the process, leveraging the host device's operating system kernel to partition resources such as CPU, memory, and storage without the need for full hardware virtualization. The invention further specifies that at least a subset of the processes are executed within respective containers, each implemented using operating system-level virtualization. This approach ensures that processes run in isolated environments, improving security and resource management while reducing the overhead associated with traditional virtual machines. The containers share the host operating system kernel but are isolated from each other, allowing for efficient multi-process execution with minimal performance impact. This method is particularly useful in cloud computing, microservices architectures, and environments requiring lightweight virtualization.
19. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the multi-process control group established for the shared region comprises a coarse-grained control group having a granularity greater than a single page of the shared region.
A system and method for managing shared memory regions in a computing environment involves establishing a multi-process control group to regulate access to a shared region of memory. The shared region is allocated in a memory space accessible by multiple processes, and the control group enforces access policies to ensure proper coordination among these processes. The control group operates with a coarse-grained granularity, meaning it manages access at a level larger than a single memory page, allowing for more efficient control over larger memory blocks. This approach reduces the overhead associated with fine-grained memory management while still maintaining necessary synchronization and security constraints. The system may include mechanisms to dynamically adjust the granularity of the control group based on system performance or workload requirements. The method ensures that processes can safely share memory without conflicts, improving system efficiency and reliability. The coarse-grained control group simplifies memory management by grouping multiple pages into larger units, reducing the complexity of tracking individual page-level permissions. This technique is particularly useful in multi-process environments where shared memory is frequently accessed, such as in distributed computing or high-performance computing systems.
20. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the program code when executed by the host device further causes the host device to establish single-process control groups for respective ones of the processes with each such single-process control group being a fine-grained control group having a granularity equivalent to a single page of the shared region.
This invention relates to computer systems and methods for managing shared memory regions in a multi-process environment. The problem addressed is the inefficient handling of shared memory regions when multiple processes access the same memory space, leading to performance bottlenecks and resource contention. The invention provides a computer program product that includes program code executable by a host device to manage shared memory regions. The program code creates a shared region of memory accessible by multiple processes running on the host device. The shared region is divided into pages, and each process is assigned a single-process control group. These control groups are fine-grained, meaning each group corresponds to a single page of the shared region, allowing precise control over memory access at the page level. The fine-grained control groups enable the host device to monitor and manage memory usage, performance, and resource allocation for each process independently. This granularity ensures that processes do not interfere with each other's memory operations, improving system efficiency and reducing contention. The invention also allows for dynamic adjustments to memory access permissions and resource limits based on real-time conditions, further optimizing performance. By implementing these control groups, the system can enforce strict isolation between processes while still allowing shared memory access, which is particularly useful in virtualized or containerized environments where multiple processes must coexist efficiently. The invention enhances memory management by providing detailed control over individual memory pages, leading to better resource utilization and system stability.
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March 31, 2020
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